The present invention relates to carbonless copy forms and, more particularly, a carbonless copy form that may be arranged in a non-duplicating state for passage through a laser printer, or some other type of non-impact printer.
Carbonless copy forms are well known. A typical two-part carbonless copy form includes a top sheet having a coated back (CB) containing a colorless micro-encapsulated dye, and a bottom sheet having a coated front (CF) containing a reactive dye-revealing substance. The top and bottom sheets are secured to each other in a duplicating state characterized by juxtaposition of said CB and said CF coatings. In this manner, the pressure of writing on the front surface of the top sheet ruptures the micro-capsules on the CB-coated back surface of the top sheet, releasing dye onto the CF-coated front surface of the bottom sheet, whereupon the writing is revealed in contrasting color on the front surface of the bottom sheet.
Multiple carbonless copies may be produced in a similar manner by assembling one or more intermediate sheets between the CB top and CF bottom sheets. Each of the intermediate sheets has a carbonless front (CF) coating on its front surface for revealing the dye from the previous sheet, and has a carbonless back (CB) coating on its back surface for releasing dye to the next sheet in the set. With these techniques, one or more carbonless copies of information entered on the front surface of an original or top sheet can be reproduced on a corresponding surface of the copy sheet(s).
The chemistry of the CB (image-transferring) and CF (image-revealing) coatings is well known, as are techniques for applying these coatings to paper stock. These coatings and techniques include various coatings applied to paper stock at the mill, as it is being produced, and coatings applied later (typically during the printing process) to plain paper stock. For the purposes of defining and describing the present invention, it is noted that the particular chemistry of the CB and CF coatings utilized according to the present invention is not the subject of the present invention. Rather, the symbols CF and CB merely refer to respective coatings that, when applied to opposing ply faces and subjected to an impression across one of the plies, create a visible duplication of the pattern defined by the impression.
Many of the conventional carbonless copy forms are not well-suited for printing applications. For example, if a user of the form wishes to route the form through a laser printer or other printing device, inadvertent CF surface smudging or marking is likely to occur. Many conventional carbonless copy forms have not adequately addressed these shortcomings. Accordingly, there is a need for a carbonless copy form that may be routed through a printer or imaging device without being subject to inadvertent CF smudging or marking. In addition, many conventional carbonless copy forms do not provide a convenient means by which duplicate data may be created, separated from the original form, and routed. Accordingly, there is also a need for a carbonless copy form that provides an effective means by which duplicate data may be created on a physical form, physically separated from the original data, and made available for routing apart from the form bearing the original data.
This need is met by the present invention wherein a carbonless form is provided that may be folded selectively into a duplicating state or a non-duplicating state. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a carbonless form is provided comprising a form sheet, a transverse fold line, an assigned data entry portion, and an exposed data entry portion. The form sheet defines a front face, a rear face, a top edge, a bottom edge, and a pair of side edges. The transverse fold line extends across the form sheet to define a first panel and a second panel on opposite sides of the transverse fold line. The assigned data entry portion is defined on the rear face of the second panel. The exposed data entry portion is defined on the front face of the first panel.
A CB coating is applied to the rear face of the form sheet in the first panel and a CF coating is applied to the rear face of the form sheet in the second panel. The transverse fold line, the CB coating, and the CF coating are arranged such that the form sheet may be folded selectively about the transverse fold line into either a duplicating or a non-duplicating state. The duplicating state is characterized by juxtaposition of the CB and the CF coating. The non-duplicating state defines a common printing face including the assigned data entry portion of the second panel rear face and the exposed data entry portion of the first panel front face.
The common printing face defined by the form folded in the non-duplicating state preferably extends along the second panel rear face from the transverse fold line to the top edge of the form sheet and along the first panel front face from a line demarcated in the first panel front face by the top edge of the form sheet to the bottom edge of the form sheet. The exposed data entry portion may be defined on the first panel front face between the demarcated line and the bottom edge of the form sheet. The non-duplicating state is characterized by arrangement of the exposed data entry portion outside of the bounds of the second panel.
The first panel front face preferably includes additional data entry portions, the second panel rear face preferably includes duplicate data entry portions, and the form folded in the duplicating state is preferably characterized by alignment of the additional data entry portions and the duplicate data entry portions. In this manner, data entered in the additional data entry portions are reproduced as duplicate data in the duplicate data entry portions. The carbonless form may comprise a physician order form where the assigned data entry portion and the exposed data entry portion comprise patient data entry portions and where the additional data entry portion comprises a physician order entry portion.
The first panel front face may include a plurality of successive apertures formed therein, the second panel rear face may include successive symbols printed thereon, and the form folded in the duplicating state may be characterized by alignment of respective ones of the successive apertures and the successive symbols. In this manner, respective ones of the successive symbols are visible through the successive apertures. The second panel may includes perforated sub-panels defined by transverse perforations in the second panel and respective ones of the successive symbols may be provided on respective ones of the perforated sub-panels.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a method of processing a carbonless form is provided. The method comprises the steps of: (i) folding the carbonless form into the non-duplicating state; (ii) printing a first set of data in the assigned data entry portion and the exposed data entry portion on the common printing face with the form in the non-duplicating state; (iii) folding the carbonless form into the duplicating state; and (iv) printing a second set of data on the first panel front face with the form in the duplicating state so as to duplicate the second set of data on the second panel second face. A portion of the first set of data entered in the assigned data entry portion preferably bears substantially the same information as a portion of the first set of data entered in the exposed data entry portion.
The first panel front face may include additional data entry portions. The second panel rear face may include duplicate data entry portions. The form may be folded in the duplicating state such that it is characterized by alignment of the additional data entry portions and the duplicate data entry portions. The second set of data may be printed in the additional data entry portions and duplicated in the duplicate data entry portions. The carbonless form may comprise a physician order form wherein the assigned data entry portion and the exposed data entry portion comprise patient data entry portions and the additional data entry portion comprise a physician order entry portion. The method may comprise the step of printing patient data in the patient data entry portions and printing physicians orders in the physician order entry portion.
The second panel may include perforated sub-panels defined by transverse perforations in the second panel and the method of processing the carbonless form may further comprise the steps of: (i) printing the second set of data on the first panel front face with the form in the duplicating state so as to duplicate the second set of data on the second panel second face in a selected one of the perforated sub-panels; and (ii) removing the selected perforated sub-panel by tearing the sub-panel along one of the transverse perforations.
The first panel front face may include a plurality of successive apertures formed therein and the second panel rear face may include successive symbols printed thereon. The form folded in the duplicating state may be characterized by alignment of respective ones of the successive apertures and the successive symbols, the second panel may include perforated sub-panels defined by transverse perforations in the second panel. In this manner, respective ones of the successive symbols may be provided on respective ones of the perforated sub-panels and the method of processing the carbonless form may further comprise the steps of: (i) identifying a valid additional data entry portion on the first panel front face by locating one of the successive symbols corresponding to the valid additional data entry portion; (ii) printing the second set of data in the valid additional data entry portion with the form in the duplicating state so as to duplicate the second set of data on the second panel second face in a selected one of the perforated sub-panels; and (iii) removing the selected perforated sub-panel by tearing the sub-panel along one of the transverse perforations.
The step of removing the selected perforated sub-panel preferably invalidates an additional data entry portion on the first panel front face and the method may further comprise the steps of: (i) identifying a remaining valid additional data entry portion on the first panel front face by locating one of the successive symbols corresponding to the remaining valid additional data entry portion; (ii) printing the second set of data in the remaining valid additional data entry portion with the form in the duplicating state so as to duplicate the second set of data on the second panel second face in a selected remaining one of the perforated sub-panels; and (iii) removing the remaining selected perforated sub-panel by tearing the sub-panel along one of the transverse perforations.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a carbonless form that may be pre-printed without the risk of smudging or marking the CF face. Further, it is an object of the present invention to provide a carbonless form that provides an effective means by which duplicate data may be created on a physical form, physically separated from the original data, and made available for routing apart from the form bearing the original data. Other objects of the present invention will be apparent in light of the description of the invention embodied herein.